Mobility Matters: Advancing Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities Conference

University Of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract This proposal seeks support for a conference series dedicated to improving the outcomes of older adults by addressing the complexities of enhancing patient mobility within skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Mobility, a component of physical function, describes the ability to move and has a significant impact on older adult’s health, independence, and quality of life. Despite evidence indicating that inactive older adults can benefit from engaging in mobility and movement at any intensity, those receiving care in SNFs have higher average sedentary time compared to individuals in other care facilities. Thus, mobility interventions are currently most needed in SNFs and are most likely to demonstrate value. Aligned with the unique theme of prioritizing the mobility of older adults, our aims are: 1) to develop and advance a collaborative research, policy, and care delivery improvement agenda to explore and develop innovative approaches for enhancing patient mobility and outcomes in SNFs 2) to develop and support workgroups during the five-year conference period to identify and enhance clinical adoption of priority mobility initiatives in SNFs, and 3) to generate and disseminate knowledge and approaches for adoption to enhance patient function, movement, mobility, and outcomes through national, regional, and local networks. The innovative conference series will consist of in-person events and quarterly structured and facilitated virtual workgroup meetings. This combination will maintain momentum for implementing strategies to promote mobility in SNFs and will facilitate ongoing progress and collaboration. The first conference will explore barriers and challenges to promoting mobility in SNFs to set the stage to identify innovative solutions that effectively address these barriers. This conference will set the landscape for collaboration and discussion regarding: 1) national policy, 2) clinical & research challenges/opportunities, 3) innovations, 4) operational considerations, and 5) implementation strategies. The second conference focuses on identifying promising implementation strategies, and the focus of the third conference shifts to implementation, dissemination, and actionable strategies. We will employ rigorous evaluation methods for each conference and the conference series overall. We will also develop research priorities and produce a white paper to comprehensively document the challenges and solutions highlighted during the conference. The innovation of this initiative lies in the intersection of all this expertise and resources assembled to address the complexities of enhancing patient mobility within SNFs. Through the conference series and engagement of representative stakeholders, we will align incentives to drive innovation for practice-based adoption. These novel advancements can improve patient experiences and outcomes for this vulnerable population. Furthermore, the strategies developed hold promise for broader application in other healthcare settings, underscoring the scalability of our interventions beyond SNFs.